Some recipes are easy to change and for the sake of variety in my life, I change them. This is one of the areas that my Mom, a really good cook, and I, didn’t see eye to eye. Her philosophy was that if you have a good recipe you should make it over and over because, well, it’s a good recipe.

But I like to tamper and see what happens if …

So, the worst thing that can happen is that whatever it is you are making doesn’t come out good. Or not as good as you wanted, but still fine. This is the way new recipes get invented (along with maybe some thrown-out stuff along the way).

The other day I needed to bring a coffee cake to a neighbor, so I got out my tried-and-true recipe for Blueberry Streusel Cake. Only I didn’t have blueberries. So I made it with peaches and it was just as good as ever, in part thanks to the wondeful peaches this year.

Here’s the recipe. Play around with it if you like. For instance, use almond extract in the batter or make it with plums or mixed berries. Or add some grated nutmeg or grated fresh orange peel.

Peach Streusel Cake

the streusel:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons cold butter

1 cup finely chopped nuts, optional

the cake:

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x13” cake pan. To make the streusel, place ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. You can also do this by hand, by mixing dry ingredients and working in the butter with your fingers or two knives.

To make the cake, melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon peel in the bowl of an electric mixer. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and stir only to combine: do not overbeat. Turn the batter into the prepared cake pan. Top with the peaches and press them down into the batter gently. Cover with the streusel. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 12-16 servings